Several weeks passed, and we received the results from the midterm exams.
I never really understood the stress that often revolved around these types of exams. Unlike the ones in the Ideal Human Project, you weren't punished for doing poorly. You weren't expelled for failing. You weren't punished for making a mistake, you weren't removed for being unable to show any growth.
For all purposes, these exams were basically stress-free.
A large number of students were gathered in front of the board where the exam results were being posted. Making my way through the hall, I wanted to ignore the hassle. However, a gap opened up in the group, revealing a single girl who appeared genuinely shocked by the scores.
As I tried to move through, she made sharp, confronting eye contact with me.
"…Kizutaka… how… how did you get a hundred percent…?"
The idol, Tobiichi, looked at me with an unexpected expression.
"It's just another exam," I responded.
The results were on the board for everyone to see.
-
Results of the Midterm Exam
Kizutaka Rin – 100
Tobiichi Luna – 93
Tachibana Clara – 84
Ichikawa Jun – 82
…
-
Stomping through the crowd, she grabbed me by the collar.
She giggled a little.
I looked down at her.
"What is it."
"Nothing, I just suddenly remembered something unpleasant~"
I felt a cold feeling travel subtly down my spine. It was the same feeling I felt at that time. It wasn't affection or anything in that regard, but I associated this feeling with the superficial concept of friendship that I had built in my mind.
***
It was a few years ago; I was given freedom into the world for the first time in my life. I had no idea what to do. Feeling the soft breeze in my hair, I was filled with a sense of emptiness, despite finally being able to explore the world. Wandering aimlessly around the city, I eventually met a young girl.
Her name was Yui; she was short, walked with an awkwardly elegant gait, and had a weird obsession with some toy brand called Cutebuds. I figured that she was the facility's gift to me, a friend, I suppose.
We hung out a lot. We ate together, visited places together and talked to each other.
One day, she suddenly walked up to me with an expression that looked like pensive sadness mixed with anger. I couldn't fully understand her emotions at the time—well, I still don't really understand them.
"You know, I was lying the entire time. The Nishikawa Conglomerate sent me here. They told me to pretend to be your friend."
I didn't really understand why that was such a big deal. I had known the entire time.
Wasn't this how relationships were formed, anyways?
"Is that so? Well, do you want to go to the park today?"
She grabbed my collar.
"Are you an idiot? The Nishikawa Conglomerate paid me to be your friend. I only hang out with you because they pay me to do so."
"Did they stop paying you?"
I could see tears in her eyes. It didn't make any sense. Why was she crying? It wasn't like I said anything insulting or anything that might've induced such a reaction.
"Don't you want to make some real friends? How come you're not concerned at all that I was lying to you this entire time?! I'm a terrible person. This was just so I could live a lavish life! Go, find someone who genuinely cares about you!"
"That's a commendable thing, isn't it? Is it that you don't want to hang out with me anymore?"
"What is wrong with you?! Are you that desperate for a friend?"
"I'm not sure. What's the difference between this and the 'friendship' that you're referring to? Doesn't everybody lie to fit in with others?"
"T-this is different…! They did tell me that you were like a robot, but I didn't think you'd be this weird!"
Covering her eyes, she ran through the street.
I never saw her again after that.
I guess different types of friendships existed. Maybe the relationship I had with her couldn't even be called a friendship. I didn't think that there was a difference. Whether or not she was being paid didn't change the fact that she did talk to me and visit places with me, and show me new things. I was constantly lying as well, pretending to enjoy things, pretending to learn things and pretending to care whenever she was ranting about something.
I thought that that was just the way it was.
Maybe I still did have many things to learn.